Data management system and method

A data management system comprising one or more processors and memory storing:

• instructions that when executed by the or each processor cause the data management system to maintain a data model;
• and
• a plurality of data structures representing the data model, comprising a plurality of entity types, a plurality of relationship types and a plurality of attribute types;
• comprising:
• the data structures further comprises a link field matrix comprising link field structures that define permitted associations between the entity types, attribute types, and relationship types, wherein the link field matrix eliminates storage provision for an attribute type that is not associated with an entity instance;
• and
• the data management system further comprises:
• a first table comprising one or more of forward and reverse pointers identifying related entity instances in accordance with the link field matrix, to support traversal execution using one or more of the link field structures separate from the entity instances;
• a traversal plan unit configured to receive a declarative entity traversal query and compile it into an executable traversal plan comprising a plurality of attribute-specific resolver tasks and traversal steps established using the link field matrix and the or each pointer of the first table;
• and
• a traversal unit configured to execute the traversal plan by traversing between entity instances using the or each pointers of the first table and invoking resolver tasks to retrieve or compute one or more values of the or each attribute instances associated with the traversed entity instances, the or each values being either or both of stored in memory and retrieved from one or more local or remote data sources.